Greenwood knocks off Newport, claims share of TVL title

The Greenwood field hockey team was playing for a Tri-Valley League championship.

Newport was playing for pride.

Pride nearly won out.

On Oct. 5, on their own field, the Buffaloes turned in one of their best performances, challenging the Wildcats over 60 electrifying minutes before taking a 2-0 loss.

"I'm tired of moral victories, but that's what this was," said Buffalo coach Ashley Pelton, whose team had lost 3-0 and 5-0 decisions to Greenwood earlier in the year. ""My girls didn't quit. Greenwood knew it was in a game.'

"We knew they would be ready to play. We got what we expected. We had to play well," said ‘Cat coach Kent Houser, whose team improved to 14-2 overall and 11-1 in the TVL with a subsequent split of games against Lewistown and Indian Valley.

The game showcased different styles. Greenwood, with its two-back defense is predicated on constant pressure from the midfield forward. Newport's three-back attack relies on quick bursts and breakaways. Greenwood's system controlled play.

The Wildcats generated 11 corners and 13 shots over the first 30 minutes. But Pelton's defense was up to the task.

Left back Lauren Hench stifled much of the Wildcats' right-side push. Sweep Courtney Jenson and right back Maddie Seiler flowed to position, taking on Greenwood's superb forwards, Salene Shaffer, Autumn Pellman and Brittany Fleisher. The corner defense, backed by goalie Jess Keys and fronted by Angel Bohn, kept the Wildcats from converting until midway through the first half.

On the second of two successive ‘Cat corners starting at the 13:41 mark, the Buffalo defense, hoping for a clear, tipped a centering pass to the top of the circle. There, Greenwood inner Bev Ruhle was perfectly positioned. Ruhle's first-time blast ripped ahead and into the back of the cage.

"(On a play like that), unless you send four girls to the top of the circle, there's not much you can do. My girls played it well," Pelton said. "It was just a beautiful shot.'

"Bev has a hard shot. That's why she's out there," Houser added.

The Buffaloes, limited to one corner and three shots in the first half, had two good chances to score.

Off a ‘Cat corner six minutes in, Bohn broke up the play and sent a strong clearing pass up the middle. Jillian Addams trapped the ball, wheeled and darted upfield, quickly clearing the last Wildcat defender and racing to the circle.

Left one-on-one with Addams, ‘Cat goalie Anna Heggenstaller had no option but to come off the goal line. She stuffed Addams with a diving stick tackle.

Four minutes later, Buffalo Kim Campbell made a strong run to the end line, cut back and sent a hard shot that Heggenstaller had to stick away.

After halftime, the Buffaloes seized command, forcing Heggenstaller to make two saves. Then, off a corner at the 28:40 mark, Addams got a pass from Campbell and ripped a shot that Heggenstaller had to knock down. Campbell, crashing for the rebound, drilled a shot off the near post and over the end line.

Having absorbed the Buffalo push, Greenwood answered with a corner then, three minutes later, an insurance goal when Fleisher converted a pass from Jade Saylor.

"That was just a nice cross from Saylor that Fleisher got her stick on," Pelton explained.

Over the final 24 minutes, Greenwood delivered the bulk of the pressure. The Wildcats, who finished with substantial edges in corners (19-6) and shots (30-14), were unable to build on their lead despite getting seven additional corners.

"Some nights I go home worried that I didn't do enough. Tonight I have nothing to be upset about," Pelton said. "Every one of my girls, all 15 of them, gave me 110 percent.'

TVL notes

In Greenwood's 4-0 win over Lewistown, Pellman recorded a three-goal hat trick, her county-best 10th game with two or more markers. The junior now has 28 goals, seven assists and 63 points for the year. Jade Saylor had the other ‘Cat goal and Shaffer chipped in with an assist.

Despite advantages in corners (10-2) and shots (30-12), Greenwood failed to score for the first time this season and lost its first TVL game to Indian Valley. The Wildcats had three goals waved off, the last off a corner with time expired. Greenwood has clinched at least a tie for the league championship with two games left.

Brittany Miller caged a pair of goals in Newport's 5-1 win over Juniata. Campbell, Addams and Bohn had the other goals. Kate Hoke, Sarah Hawn and Abby Helm added assists.

With a 1-0 loss to Line Mountain, its sixth by one goal this season, Newport dropped to 5-10.